Things To Do in Maldives: Absolutely nothing!

February 23, 2014

Anantara Dhigu Maldives

Maldives, oh Maldives. There is no perfect word to describe the beauty of this place which must be in everyone’s bucket list. I went there for a business trip which is definitely not the ideal way to go to this romantic place. It’s a couple’s paradise and being surrounded by them made me feel a lot like a loser. I was not really able to enjoy this little heaven as we had to inspect the rooms of each resorts that we’re going to visit and eat a meal in one of their premier restaurants as part of the business trip – it’s not at all that bad, really. Specially because it’s an all-expense paid trip. So still a yay! 🙂

Velassaru Maldives

Maldives is an archipelago of more than a thousand islands grouped into 26 atolls in the Indian Ocean. The country enjoys a lot of sunshine with 30 degrees celsius temperature for most of the year. You will have more chances of rainfall though during the monsoon months of April to October. It doesn’t mean though that it will be raining throughout the day, it may rain for a few minutes in the morning and very sunny in the afternoon or vice versa. We went there on a September and we did not experience any rain in all the 5 days that we were there. So yes, it’s all about your luck and with the crazy weather the whole world is experiencing these days – you’ll just really have to leave it to luck. :p

Meditation at One and Only Reethi Rah

Tourism is the largest industry in the Maldives, 10% of the islands that they have are tourist resorts. So basically, it’s one island one resort. Personally, I wouldn’t be staying for more than 5 days in the Maldives due to this very reason. As much as I love the beach, I wouldn’t be able to handle the exact same scenery for more than 5 days. A lot of my clients though have stayed there for more than a week and they all love it! I’d probably go crazy if I went with them.

You do have a lot of things to do if you’re into watersports though. The coral reef in this place is just absolutely amazing! I went for snorkeling one day in Lily Beach Resort, I was only about a few hundred feet away from the shore and I was already surrounded by the beautiful and colorful reef. You’ll find Nemo quite easily in the Maldives. Apart from that, you also have scuba diving, jet skiing, surfing, kayaking, parasailing, etc. etc. The problem is, I’m not really into any of those which is probably the reason why I won’t be able to stay there for more than 5 days. You also have the option to go to the capital city of Male if you want to do some shopping but just remember that it’s one island one resort, so going to different places will require for you to take either a speedboat or a seaplane transfer. Based on my experience, I have never had a client requesting to have a day tour to Male as they’d like to maximize their time and the money that they spent in the resort.

Speaking of money, it is relatively expensive in the Maldives. One plate of meal will probably cost you a few hundred bucks so I always advise my clients to take either a half board package (breakfast and dinner) or an all-inclusive package (breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks including drinks and mini bar inside the room). Obviously, I prefer the latter but the all-inclusive package is only beneficial for those people who love to drink. If you’re not really a big drinker, then a half board would be fine.

My favorite resort is definitely Lily Beach because of their extensive all-inclusive package. Anantara comes in second because of the layout of their resort, it’s also good for families with small children as they do have a fantastic kid’s club. Velassaru follows next because of its hip and youthful design. If you’re into luxury, One & Only Reethi Rah is of course not to be missed while if you’re into privacy or if you’re a honeymooner, I would highly recommend Baros Maldives because of their no children policy below 13 years. The two Four Seasons in the Maldives (Kuda Huraa and Landaa Giraavaru) both caters to families and honeymooners while if you’re a group of friends who would love to just plainly have a good time in the Maldives, I would recommend Holiday Inn Kandooma because of its reasonable pricing and youthful design. To be very honest, you will have a great time and will be mesmerized by the country’s beautiful beaches anywhere you stay so it all goes down to your budget.

I mentioned on the title of this post that there is absolutely nothing to do in the Maldives. That is correct! I actually would recommend for you to do and think of nothing and just let it all sink in. As soon as you arrive in this place, time stands perfectly still and you’ll feel that urge to let yourself go, relax and just enjoy this little piece of heaven on earth. Possibly with a glass of margarita and a good book beside you. I’d definitely go back in a heartbeat.

I would also get bored quickly but it looks so beautiful that it’s on my bucket list for sure! 5 days would be perfect for some relaxation in paradise. You are lucky even though the trip was for business! 😀

One of my friends works there as a seaplane pilot. Looks like a beautiful place, but I feel just like you do. Being stuck in the same frame for more than a couple of days would probably make me feel as if I’ve joined a luxury version of Expedition Robinson:)